archer said:
Contemplating a suspension seatpost for my hardtail.
Help talk me into or outof the idea.
I got a Rock Shox sus seatpost about 2 years ago after reading all the reviews here in an attempt to relieve a very strong lower back pain I would get around few tracks I race on.
I have ridden it exhaustively for about a year and in the end I sold it because not only could I not tell the difference in the ride quality but in fact I still got the very same back pain on those few tracks riding the suspension post. Furthermore there is no way you get the claimed 50 mm travel out of it, more like 20-25 mm at best. Before you all go off at me the post was adjusted with the correct elastomer for my weight and preload.
I even tried the infamous 'go back to a rigid post' test after riding it for about a year. Didn't have any soreness, didn't feel the ride any more harsh and all in all no different impression than when I had the suspension post on it. After that and also after I got that same lower back pain on suspension post that I had before, I decided to get rid of it.
Having said that although it didn't work for me there is no reason why it might not work for you as, judging objectively from all those positive reviews (and responses here) lots of people seem to like them. The Rock Shox post itself is of excellent construction. Mine never got ANY slop, was rock solid for the time I owned it even through some tough winter/rain/mud riding. Disassembling it was also as easy as anything and on top of that it came with a rebuild kit, not that I was going to need that for a few years if I had kept it.
As for all those people who got projected OTB - It's not the suspension post that's launching you, its you attempting to sit while riding harsh bumps just like you would get thrown when riding any rigid post. That elastomer CAN NOT launch a full size person no matter how much you load it, so next time approaching that root at speed don't blame the post but you attempting to sit when you should be standing.